A Stray Tenderness
by Boyue
Summary: Lee knows Neji is cheating on him but remains faithful despite how much it hurts him. His conviction, however, is strayed when he finds himself seduced by a brooding redhead. -NejiLeeGaa-
1. Soft

**Naruto and its characters © Masashi Kishimoto**

**NejiLee. GaaLee. Side Pairings.**

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**A STRAY TENDERNESS**

**1. Soft**

Rock Lee stirred to the sound of the door opening. The light from the hallway penetrated the dark shadow on the floor. Darkness resumed as the door closed with a soft click. Lee rolled over in bed and glanced at the deep green digital reading of the clock on his night stand. It was 2:12 am on a Wednesday morning. A set of keys clanged against the surface of the desk. Two shoes thumped quietly on the carpet. A jacket rustled as it was removed from Neji Hyuuga's broad shoulders. The chair grunted as the jacket was tossed over its back. Lee rubbed his eyes and stifled a yawn. He reached over and switched on the lamp. Neji was startled by the sudden light illuminating the dorm room. The mattress groaned as Lee shifted his weight. Neji unbuttoned his shirt, pulling it off his body, leaving only his white undershirt on.

"Sorry I woke you," Neji said, working on taking off his belt. He casted the leather belt on his desk and went to remove his pants. Lee watched Neji undressed in the dim glow of the lamp. It was like watching a strip show though the dancer had little zest in his performance. "Go back to sleep," the Hyuuga heir suggested as he raked his fingers through his dark brown hair. He located the hair tie at the very end and gently eased it off.

From Lee's angle, Neji's hair was black as coal. He had always admired the tangle-less hair of his boyfriend and the amount of care Neji put into it to keep it smooth and devoid of split-ends. Lee's own hair would enter a hazardous zone once it grew past his chin. Most people were not aware that Lee had naturally curly hair. If he left it alone, it would soon look like he had used a curling iron and flipped his hair out. Neji said he looked good with flipped-out hair, but Lee begged to differ.

"How did your project go?" Lee asked softly, yanking his blanket under his armpit. Neji was meeting with his classmates to work on a presentation for their Marketing class. They were scheduled to meet at 9 PM and five hours had passed. Lee assumed, "Did you finish?"

"No," Neji answered, quick and to the point. He had put on a large night shirt and lounge pants. Neji didn't like to sleep in only his boxers. He always said that he didn't want to be caught wearing only his undergarment in case of an emergency. "We still have a few things to go over. We're meeting up tomo---well, tonight again."

"Oh, that is too bad," Lee muttered. He fought off another yawn as he watched Neji readied his bed for the night. "Sleep with me," he said softly with a hint of pleading. Neji turned his head to look at him. He lowered his eyes, contemplating if he should. Lee gazed longingly at his boyfriend slash roommate; boyfriend of four months, roommates of six. Neji grabbed his pillow underneath his comforter. Lee scooted back toward the wall so Neji would have room on the full-sized bed. The brunette eased himself in, lifting Lee's blanket to cover his body. Lee moved close and wrapped an arm around Neji's waist. He put his chin on the broad shoulder that he adored. He inhaled Neji's scent and breathed out slowly. He could smell her jasmine body spray on Neji's neck. It wasn't very strong but Lee's sensitive nose picked it up easily.

"Night, Lee," Neji whispered. He turned his head to plant a kiss on Lee's forehead. Lee let his eyelids closed under Neji's kiss.

"Good night." Lee lifted his chin up to return a kiss to Neji's jawbone. He kept one hand on top of Neji's stomach. It rose and fell under his palm; he liked the calmness of the brunette's breathing. He pressed his forehead against Neji's forearm. Neji's body was warm; he wondered what his boyfriend had been doing with her before he came back to the room. He wondered if he actually met up with his group for his project. She might even be on his group for all he knew. He wished he knew who she was and could take a look at her. He wanted to find out what Neji saw in her that he didn't see in him, asides from the obvious genetic differences. He opened his onyx eyes to see that Neji, too, had his eyes open. The Hyuuga heir stared at the dark ceiling. Lee wondered what was going through his mind. He could only hope that it wasn't her.

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Lee picked up his philosophy book from his desk. He grabbed his notebook as well before he headed out the door. He waved and greeted a few of his hallmates who were also heading off to class. He pushed open the glass double-door and exited the dormitory. The weather was nice for a March day if not a bit chilly. Lee didn't like March a lot; it was a turning point between winter and spring. It was still cold, but not cold enough to wear his winter gear but it wasn't warm enough to spring clothes. He usually succumbed to the flu during March from travelling in and out of the heated indoors and the unheated outdoors. Lee tucked a hand into the pocket of his moss green pullover. He left his other hand exposed to carry his books. He checked the time; he had a good ten minutes before his class started. He liked going to class early so he could get a good seat at the front, where he could listen and take notes better. He also learned that professors recognized him easier if his face was more, well, in their face. He walked through campus, breathing in the fresh air. The city's air was certainly different than that of his hometown. It wasn't better necessarily, but it was livelier. He had been attending Konoha University for three years and still he appreciated the first breath of morning air, filling his lungs with excitement for the coming day. He was still homesick and tried to go back to Lotus as much as possible. He was an orphan, his foster grandfather being his only relative. All the friends that he had grown up with had moved out of the small town to presumably better places. There was not much waiting at Lotus for him. He had made a life for himself in Konoha. He had a boyfriend – his first one ever – and made many new friends. He could leave Lotus behind if he wanted to. Except he couldn't. He lingered on the simpler life he had back in his hometown with a meager population of 514. Lotus raised him with a naive view of the world – one that was shattered immediately once he moved into the city. Life was complicated in Konoha. Betrayal and lies stalked every corner. Konoha University didn't make it any easier for him. A private institution that catered especially to the offspring of Konoha's rich and powerful; it was a miracle that someone like him had been granted transfer admission. He still, every now and then, felt like he didn't belong here.

He remembered the first day he met Neji Hyuuga as roommates. The Hyuuga heir had basically told him that he should go back to the countryside where he belonged. The next month constituted Neji mocking Lee as a 'hillbilly' and ridiculing him for everything he did. Lee stayed steadfast, not letting Neji's words get to him. He kept a friendly and warm attitude that eventually cracked the insecure heart of the Hyuuga. He still remembered how it felt the first time Neji kissed him. It was unexpected and somewhat forceful on Neji's part. He had pushed Lee up against the door and slammed their mouths together. Lee remembered how much his nose hurt after the kiss, but he didn't care. It wasn't until their lips met that he realized why he had put up with Neji's egoistic behaviors. They began a relationship immediately, having been living with each other for two months. Like all relationships, the first few days were shaky, romantic, and refreshing, what followed was routine and regularity. Lee would've been content with their daily routine. Neji was his first and he didn't know what to expect. He did know, however, that he didn't expect Neji to cheat on him, at least not that quickly. It all started with the jasmine body spray Lee kept smelling on Neji, then it was the brunette's lack of interest in spending time with him, then it was the telltale late-night outing. Neji should be smarter than to think that Lee wouldn't notice how late he had been coming back to the dorm, especially when they were roommates. Lee was usually in bed by eleven or midnight. He was a light sleeper and it didn't take much rustling from Neji to alert him of his return.

How did it happen? he kept wondering. What did he do wrong? He had been a good boyfriend, to the best of his knowledge. He had respected Neji's boundaries. He wasn't clingy or needy. He wasn't jealous. He didn't start fights with him over little things. Did Neji just fall out of love with him? Maybe Neji never even loved him to begin with. Maybe it was a just silly crush that the Hyuuga heartthrob was getting bored of. He had girls and boys swooning and kissing the ground he walked on. What hurt him the most was that it was a girl that Neji had chosen to cheat on him with. He knew he shouldn't feel that way, but nonetheless, he felt cheap, like he had picked the wrong sex to be. He started to wonder if their relationship would've lasted longer if he had been a girl. He could only feel sorry that his body wasn't as soft as a girl. He knew Neji hadn't broken it off with him because he didn't want to make it awkward. It was one of the downfalls to roommate dating. They still had to live together for three more months. He had a strong feeling that Neji wouldn't be his boyfriend anymore in twelve weeks. He wanted to cherish it while it lasted.

Lee pulled the door to his philosophy discussion class and walked in. He eyed the opened tables. He was early and there were only about three more students present. Discussions weren't popular with the students. His teaching assistant also happened to be a klutz who only repeated what the professor had already mentioned in lecture. If discussion didn't count as a large part of his grade, Lee probably wouldn't show up either. He picked a seat at the front of the room and opened his book to the chapter they were going over. He readied his notebook, putting the date and the class name at the upper corner. Unlike most bored students, Lee's notepapers weren't decorated with senseless doodles. His handwriting was meticulous and neat, rivaling computer font. He also took extensive notes. It was for that reason that many of his classmates liked to copy his notes, and Lee was always too nice not to say 'yes'.

"Yo, Lee!" Kiba Inuzuka shouted as he walked through the door. He flopped down on the seat next to Lee with a wide grin, dropping his messy binder with dog-eared papers on the desk with a thud. "Did you go to class on Tuesday?" Lee knew what Kiba was asking for. He nodded and flipped his notes back to Tuesday. Kiba threw a quick pat on Lee's back, pulling the notebook over. "Thanks! I owe ya one. How about we grab something to eat after class? My treat!"

Lee was eager to accept the offer, but Kiba was notorious for his messy eating habit. He chowed down his food like a starving dog that certainly wasn't suitable for public. He had nothing against Kiba; he found his carefree personality very likeable. Dinner, however, was another matter. He smiled at Kiba and said, "Maybe another time. I had a lot of readings."

"Cool, just let me know." Kiba took out a pen and started to hastily copy Lee's notes. Lee could hardly make out what Kiba was writing, seeing as how his words were jumbled up and his pen was running out of ink. Their TA walked into the room and took a few steps before he dropped a stack of papers on the floor. Kiba used the chance to finish writing two more sentences before he pushed the notebook back to Lee. "Thanks, dude," he whispered loudly with a grin that showed off his canine teeth.

Lee prepared to take down any new notes that their TA might be ready to deliver. He ended up going over his lecture notes while the TA wrote on the whiteboard with shaky handwriting. Kiba was snoring next to him. He was surprised that the TA didn't notice, considering that a thin trail of drool was coming out from Kiba's mouth. Lee had to suppress a laugh since he found a drooling Kiba kind of adorable. Though he knew he wouldn't be the only one; the Inuzuka boy was the object of affection for two guys. When class was over, Lee nudged Kiba softly on the shoulder to wake him up from the short nap. Kiba licked his lips and stretched his arms yawning. He took off with Lee's notebook, saying a quick thank-you before he left the room in a hurry. Lee could only guess where he was off to. He picked up his book, bid the TA good-bye, and left the classroom. He walked out of the building and headed to the lecture hall across the way. Neji's class should be let out already. He got there in time to see a horde of students walking out. He lingered by the steps and waited for his boyfriend to show. The lecture hall only had one entrance so he shouldn't miss him. Lee looked at the crowd; Konoha University only had about 1,200 students and after three years, he knew or was familiar with most of the faces. He lived in the same hall with a lot of them. He kept an eye out for Neji. When only a few students filed out, Lee still didn't see his boyfriend exiting the hall. He thought maybe Neji didn't go to class or was talking with his professor. He walked into the lecture hall and found that the last class had emptied out and the next class was coming in. He blew air out of his mouth and headed back to the dorm.

Neji wasn't in the room and Lee had a faint idea where the brunette could be. He decided to get his mind off Neji. He grabbed the novel for his literature class and went downstairs to the study rooms. He didn't like studying in his room since he was easily distracted and tempted by his laptop and the flat-screen television. He circled the hallway, looking for an unoccupied room. It was close to final exams week and many of the students were getting a head-start. The rooms were occupied by groups of students and Lee didn't feel right bugging into someone's study group for their physics final. He figured that if needed, he would try to read in his room. He checked the last study room. A victorious smile crept on his face as he saw that it was only occupied by one person. He knocked on the door first then opened it.

"Would you mind if I study here?" Lee asked politely. He kept himself at the doorway, not wanting to intrude on someone's privacy.

Sabaku no Gaara glanced up from the thick book he was reading. He scrutinized Lee up and down, eyes falling on the book in his hand. Gaara sat up straight from his slouching posture and put his book down on the long table. He pushed his backpack toward one end. Lee smiled and uttered a 'thank-you', closing the door behind him. He pulled the chair out and sat down quietly. He glanced at the title of book Gaara was reading and was surprised to find that it was an encyclopedia. He had never known anyone to read an encyclopedia for pleasure. He put a polite smile on when he noticed that Gaara was staring at him. The redhead followed Lee's glance to the spine of the book.

"It's quite entertaining actually," Gaara said with an accent that Lee wasn't familiar with, "to read about new things that you have no idea of before."

"I am sure it is," Lee responded. He lifted up his paperback novel and said, "Unfortunately my reading schedule do not permit much time for leisure reading."

Gaara's aqua eyes narrowed. "You don't use contractions when you speak," he stated as-a-matter-of-factly.

Lee's cheeks tainted pink at the mention of his speaking habit. His foster grandfather had a strange rule about not using contractions in the house so Lee grew up not using it. The even stranger thing was that though Lee could think in contractions, they didn't exist in his verbal language. It was as if his tongue didn't know how to contract words. He asked timidly, "Is it weird that I do not?"

"No," Gaara said, "I find it alluring."

"T-thank you." It was the first time anyone had told him that they liked his contraction-less sentences. He glanced down at his novel and flipped to the page he left off. He looked out from the corner of his eyes and swallowed hard when he realized that Gaara was still looking at him. The polite thing to do was to continue the conversation. "And I notice you have an accent," he said.

"I'm from Suna," Gaara said, closing the thick book. He leaned his elbows on the table and tilted his head slightly to the side. "Is it that obvious?"

"No, no, I just notice these things easily." Lee looked away. His hands clutched the pages of the novel nervously. He didn't like the intensity of Gaara's stares; they were boiling his blood. He pushed a smile on his face. "I am Lee by the way."

"Gaara," the redhead said in a low voice. He gazed at Lee with his brooding eyes. The upper corner of his lip twisted a seductive smile. His hand glided across the table. He took Lee's hand and pried it away from the book. He squeezed it in a hand-shake. Lee noticed how soft Gaara's skin was in comparison to his own.

"It is nice to meet you," Lee said, pulling his hand back and keeping it glued to the novel.

"Same here."

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**Boyue's Note: 'allo there! This is my first NejiLee fic so please give me pointers and stuff. I don't mean to make him out to be a jerk but he isn't... or he won't be for long! **

**Reviews are essential to my survival. =)**

**Happy New Year. ^o^**

**01.01.09**

**2:54 AM**


	2. Hard

_Naruto and its characters © Masashi Kishimoto_

_NejiLee. GaaLee. Side Pairings._

* * *

**A STRAY TENDERNESS**

**2. Hard**

"You must harbor the power of youth and unleash it into the world! Go forth my beloved students!"

The students at the taijutsu bowed their tired bodies to their sensei. They rustled out of the recreation room. Quiet chatters filled the large space. The door opened and banged to a close as the class exited. Lee was one of the last to leave. He picked up his towel and wiped his face and neck clean of his sweat. Taijutsu class was one of his favorite classes, and the instructor was such a fun character. Oddly enough, the teacher and the student resembled each other. Some of his fellow students had actually inquired if they were related. Lee could only politely laugh it off, while Gai-sensei boasted jokingly that Lee could very well be his long-lost son.

"Lee," Gai-sensei called from the middle of the room.

Lee turned around and caught his sensei waving for him to come over. He threw down his towel and hurried over. Catching his breath, he said, "Yes, sensei?"

"Great work today. You make me very proud." Gai smiled and left an encouraging pat on Lee's heaving shoulder. "Keep up your spirit and you are one of the best students I have ever been blessed with."

"Thank you, sensei," Lee said with a full bow. "I will not disappoint you!"

Lee walked back toward the door and picked up his towel off the ground. Since it was on the floor, he didn't want to use it to wipe his face. He pulled open the heavy door and stepped into the main area of the student recreation center. Panting students on roaring treadmills greeted him. He headed toward the locker room for his bag. He was done with classes today and could put off taking a shower until he went back to his room. He didn't enjoy taking showers in the communal locker room anyhow. It was rather intimidating. Lee walked past the bikes and the treadmills and turned the corner. The locker room was in front of him.

"Lee," someone said his name.

Lee turned around to see Gaara walking toward him. Gaara wasn't in work-out clothes and he didn't look like he had sweated one bit. He wasn't carrying a gym bag either, and Lee had to wonder why he was here in the rec center.

"Here." Gaara handed over a fresh towel.

"Oh, thank you… but I have my own."

"You dropped it on the floor," Gaara said humorously.

Lee kept his mouth close. He took the clean towel hesitantly, trying to figure how Gaara knew that he had dropped his towel. He gave a gratuitous smile and a nod of good-bye. He turned around and walked toward the locker room. Gaara trailed next to him. Lee was taller than him by a few good inches. Lee looked down and tried his best to smile at the younger student. His smile turned out forced and awkward.

"What are you doing after this?" Gaara asked.

"I am going back to my room."

Lee pulled open the door to the locker room. He held it open for himself and turned to Gaara for a final farewell. Instead, Gaara reached and pulled the door open wide. He gestured for Lee to go ahead. Lee wanted to say something but he couldn't formulate his words fast enough before Gaara nudged him into the locker room. Lee walked over to the locker and unlocked it. He took out his bag and put his dirty towel in. Gaara took a seat on the metal bench and gave a scrutinizing glance around.

"Do you want to have dinner with me?" Gaara asked, running his finger on the cold bench. "Tonight?"

"Oh," Lee blabbered in surprise. He zipped up the bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I am afraid not. I am supposed to meet my boyfriend."

"I'm sure he won't mind if I tag along."

"No," Lee said, "I do not think Neji will like that."

"Fine," Gaara heaved.

Lee walked around the bench and headed out. Gaara followed him out of the locker room but didn't say a word. Lee hoped that Gaara had caught on to his hint and given up on asking him out. Even if Neji was seeing someone else, Lee didn't have the heart to do the same to him. He still loved the Hyuuga heir dearly. Lee readjusted his gym bag and glanced over at Gaara, contemplating in deep thought. As they reached the exit, Gaara spoke again.

"How about lunch tomorrow?"

"I am sorry I cannot have lunch with you. I have class from 11 to 3," Lee answered honestly.

"How about dinner tomorrow night?"

"Dinner? I am… I have…" Lee stammered. He didn't have anything planned and was never good at coming up with lies. "I think I have something…"

"Lee." Gaara stepped in front of him, blocking the way to the exit. He gazed at Lee with deep – almost glaring – eyes. "I am not going to give up until you agree to go on a date with me."

"I am flattered, Gaara, but I already have a boyfriend."

"Do you love him?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then you shouldn't worry about going on a date with me," Gaara said charmingly. He twisted his lips into a lopsided smile. He leaned toward Lee's face and said, "Unless you're afraid you can't resist me."

Lee pressed his lips tight as he took a step back and walked around Gaara. He felt his face flushing up a bit but it was only because he felt insulted by the redhead. He clutched the strap of his bag and pushed through the glass door. He walked down the small steps and headed back toward the dormitory. He heard the recreation center's door thumped open and rapid footsteps chased him. He didn't look back but picked up his speed. Lee was on the track team back in high school and could outrun Gaara if he wanted to. Gaara caught up and strode casually next to him with his hands half-tucked into the pockets of his dark jeans. Lee kept his eyes in front of him and watched the fuchsia bled to orange as the sun set calmly.

"So?" Gaara spoke up once they reached the crosswalk that led to the dormitory. "What time should I pick you up tomorrow night?"

"I cannot go on a date with you," Lee said with a hint of frustration. "I am not like that. I am very faithful to my boyfriend."

"Hmm," Gaara said, glancing over. "Does it mean your boyfriend isn't faithful to you?"

"What!" Lee shouted. He looked away quickly and hid his face.

"I want the chance to know you better. Give me that chance."

"I… Very well… I will see you tomorrow at 6."

"Perfect," Gaara said with a satisfied smile. He turned on his heel and walked toward campus.

"Where are you going?" Lee asked out of curiosity.

"My class started fifteen minutes ago. I'm going to try to make it."

Gaara turned around and walked in a slow and steady pace. Lee didn't think he was really in a hurry to get to his class. He gripped his bag and let out a small sigh. He was really flattered that Gaara had missed a class just to convince him on a date. He couldn't remember the last time someone was that interested in him. He walked over the crosswalk and slipped through the entrance. As he waited in the elevator, he thought it wouldn't hurt to have dinner with Gaara; he, too, wanted to know more about the Suna student. Lee knew he wasn't much of a looker and if Gaara really wanted to know him better, it must be because he found Lee to be a good person. The elevator door dinged open and Lee walked into his hall.

He opened the door and saw Neji reading. He beamed a happy smile and put down his bag by the side of his desk. He walked over to Neji and planted a kiss on his lips. Neji kissed back, though Lee could tell that it was weak and lacking in zest, unlike the kisses they had shared before. He draped his arms on Neji's shoulders and glanced at the boring economic textbook the Hyuuga was reading. Neji intended to run the family business in the future and needed a degree in business to convince his uncle to let him do so. Lee dropped his chin on Neji's shoulder and breathed softly on his neck.

"You stink," Neji commented, ruining the romantic mood. "Take a shower please."

"Right. I will be back soon and we can eat dinner." Lee walked over to his drawers and took out a change of clothes. He heard Neji shifting and turned his head.

Neji was standing up with an apologetic look. Lee knew already that the dinner plan was cancelled. Neji said, "I can't eat dinner with you tonight. My group pushes our meeting up so we can have more time. I am actually going to leave soon."

"Oh, I understand." Lee closed his drawers and stood up with his clothes in his arms. "Good luck with your project. Do your best!"

"Don't wait up. I don't know how late I'll be."

"I will wait for you," Lee said with a pained smile.

"Don't," Neji responded.

Lee stared at Neji's feet and gave an understanding nod of his head. He opened his closet and took out his basket of toiletries. He slid the closet door close and saw a glimpse of Neji's reflection. Neji was eying his back with a remorseful look, but Lee wasn't buying it. He left the door and walked toward the showers.

"Yo, Lee!" Kiba waved from down the hall. He was heading toward the showers as well. He waited for Lee to catch up. He pinched his nose and said teasingly, "Phooey, did you run into a skunk?"

"Kiba, would you mind if I eat dinner with you tonight?"

"Yeah, sure," Kiba responded. He looked at Lee with concern. "Shino and me are going after I take a shower. Just come with."

* * *

The dining hall was bustling with hungry students after a long day of class. Lee and his friends managed to secure a table near the back and had a window view to top it off. Kiba ate his meal hungrily and noisily. Lee knew Kiba had an infamous table manner but he never knew how bad it was until he had seen it with his own eyes. Shino Aburame, Kiba's roommate, was the complete opposition of Kiba. Whereas Kiba was rash and loud, Shino was perceptive and somber. Kiba swallowed his food like a feral dog. Shino ate slowly like bugs nipping. Lee couldn't understand how they could tolerate each other until he saw Shino picked up a napkin and gently dabbed Kiba's cheek, where a splash of ketchup resided.

"Oh, thanks," Kiba said with a mouthful of burger. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand carelessly. He gulped down his chewed food and washed it down with a loud slurp of soda. "So, Lee, where is, um, that Hyuuga guy?"

"Neji has a marketing project to work on," Lee answered plainly. He scooped up his curry and ate it politely.

"Ouch, that sucks." Kiba threw a fry in his mouth. He looked behind Lee for a second. A panic hit him. He shouted, "Shit!" before he ducked underneath the table.

Lee barely kept his spoon in his hand. He gaped at Shino, who was glaring behind Lee as well. Though he didn't want to, Lee was compelled to turn his head and glanced around. There were a lot of students and Lee wasn't sure who drove Kiba under the table. He looked back at Shino. The brown-haired student's eyes were tracking someone's movement through the dining hall. Lee tried to follow but there were too many people for him to know which person to look at.

"Sabaku no Kankuro," Shino grumbled coldly.

The name sounded familiar to Lee. He looked up from the table just in time to see a black-hood-wearing student walked through the aisle. As he walked pass the table, he casted a rude glance at Shino but didn't stop to say a word. Lee watched the interaction; it wasn't his place to ask anything but he could figure that there was a history between the three. He didn't have time to ponder who Kankuro was or why Kiba was afraid of him. Walking behind Kankuro was Gaara. Once they made eye-contact, there was no stopping Gaara from stopping next to Lee's table.

"Where is your boyfriend?" the redhead asked casually, his arms crossed over his arched-out chest.

"He could not make it," Lee responded.

Gaara, without asking anyone, walked around and slipped into the empty seat. He looked down and saw Kiba under the table. He scoffed and scooted his chair back. He put his elbow on the table and propped his head up. Lee alternated a glance between Shino and Gaara. He felt like he should say something but whenever he found himself under the stare of the redhead, his throat closed up and all the words in his head jumbled into nonsense.

"Is he gone?" Kiba broke the intimidating silence.

"He is gone," Shino answered.

Kiba climbed out from underneath the table. He huffed and slumped into his chair. He frowned when he saw Gaara on the table. He looked to Shino for an explanation but his roommate reminded silent. Gaara didn't care for the two; his focus was entirely on Lee. Lee picked up his spoon and ate his curry, trying to act casual. The mood of the table had shifted dramatically from the moment Kiba ducked under the table.

"When you are done eating, how about we go get some dessert?"

"No, thank you," Lee said after he swallowed his food. "I do not like sweet."

Lee stuffed another spoonful of hot curry into his mouth. He glanced up and saw Kiba and Shino watching them. He dropped his head and ate the rest of his curry rice as quickly as he could. Curry was one of his favorite foods and he wanted to enjoy it. But he had no appetite and he didn't want Kiba and Shino coming up with false assumptions. He chugged his glass of water and put everything on his tray.

"Thank you, I will see you later," Lee said to Kiba and Shino.

"Later!" Kiba cheered with a grin. "Remember to let me borrow your notes!" When he looked at Gaara, his grin vanished immediately.

Lee grabbed his tray and bused it. He could feel Gaara following him. He walked out of the dining hall and lingered in the empty lobby. Gaara walked in front of him, arms dangling by his side. Lee tried to figure a way to tell Gaara 'leave me alone' kindly. Gaara stepped closer – a little too close for comfort.

"Do you want to come to my room?"

"No," Lee stammered. His face flushed. "No!"

"I was going only to ask if you wanted to watch a movie." Gaara pulled a sly smile. "But I see you were thinking of something else."

"Please, Gaara, I appreciate your interest in me but please leave me alone."

"What is so special about Neji Hyuuga?" Gaara asked bluntly.

"Neji is intelligent and very thoughtful. Though he does not act like it most of the time, he is a very kind and caring person. He is ambitious and he knows what he wants in life," Lee said proudly.

"You forgot to mention that he is arrogant and unscrupulous. He doesn't care who he steps over to get what he wants. He only pays attention to people who can benefit him. He is manipulative and calculating."

"Do not speak of Neji that way!"

"It's the truth. You know it but you are too blinded by him to admit it."

"I love Neji," Lee exclaimed.

"That's nice… but he doesn't love you back."

"Please do not speak anymore…"

"If he loves you," Gaara said in a low voice, "he wouldn't be messing around with the Yamanaka girl."

Lee gasped, fisting his hands. Normally, he had better control of himself and his emotions. But once he heard the name of the girl destroying his relationship, he lost all sense of what was right and wrong and who he should be angry at and who was his friend. He threw a punch at Gaara's face before he even knew it. He panted; his shoulders heaved angrily. He stared down at Gaara on the floor, rubbing his cheek with the back of his hand.

"I-I am sorry," Lee said in a whisper. He hurried down and helped Gaara off the floor. "I did not mean… Please forgive me."

"I forgive you," Gaara answered. He rubbed his sore jaw. He looked at Lee and said, "So?"

"So… what?"

"Are you going to break up with Neji now?"

"N-no…"

"Why not?" Gaara demanded.

"Because… I still care for him."

Gaara rolled his eyes and sighed. He straightened out his clothes and sent a mean glare at the people watching them. He turned to Lee and said, "Why?"

"I… love him. I do."

"You are a stupid fool," Gaara said. He pressed his temple and added, "I am going to show you what Neji is doing right now. Come."

"W-wait!"

Though he didn't want to him, he couldn't stop himself from following Gaara's lead. Gaara had a tight grip on his wrist. He led him out of the dormitory and walked across campus. Lee's heart pounded with the echoing bell tower, signaling the school that it was now 8 P.M. The campus at night was a different place than during the day. The sparse lamp posts illuminated only bits and parts of the campus paths. Gaara led Lee to the basement level of the library. Quite a bit of diligent students buried their faces in textbooks and research encyclopedias. Gaara dragged him close to a large window that looked outside of the library. Lee never knew there was a small, reclusive garden on the other side of the library. He tried to see through the glass but he could only see his reflection.

"I do not see anything," he said.

"Come this way."

Gaara pulled him over to the left a little where the lightning wasn't as strong. Lee could see out better and in the far distance, he saw Neji's long brown hair flowing in the wind. Beside him, a slender figure with equally long blonde hair wrapped her arms around Neji's waist. They were facing the other way and didn't see the horror on Lee's face. They certainly didn't see the tears oozing out of Lee's eyes as Neji put a hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Ino Yamanaka," Gaara said, "the heiress to Yamanaka Herbal Medicines."

Lee swallowed down his sorrow. He pushed away from the window and stomped through the library basement. A few students looked up at him with confusion. Lee treaded up the stairs and walked out of the library. Part of him wanted to confront Neji and his lover. But that part of him was overruled by hot tears streaming down his cheeks. He wiped his face to get rid of the tears but couldn't stop a sob from escaping his throat. A student walking into the library gave him a look. Lee didn't care. He ran away from the library and headed whatever direction his legs took him.

He knew Neji was cheating, but he didn't know how much it would hurt to actually see him in action with her. He wasn't entirely angry, though he was very furious. He was hurt and betrayed. After tonight, he knew for a concrete fact that Neji had another person in his life. It wasn't just his paranoia or overactive imagination. Neji was in love with someone else. Lee slowed down behind the lecture hall and slid down against the wall. It was quiet here, not even crickets were chirping. He let out his sorrow, sobbing hard into his palms. What would his grandfather think if he saw him like this? He would call him a little wuss for crying over a boy.

"Isn't it better now that you know?" Gaara asked, breathing softly to catch his breathes.

The redhead sat down next to Lee and boldly put a hand on Lee's shoulder. Lee shrugged it off and turned to face the other way. Gaara leaned over and forced Lee to face him by pulling on his chin. Onxy eyes drilled into jade ones. Gaara twisted a compassionate smile that looked more disturbing than friendly.

"You can move on now. I will treat you so much better."

"Do not touch me!" Lee shouted. He shoved Gaara away and stood up. "Leave me alone!"

Lee didn't give Gaara a chance to say or do anything. He ran as fast as he could, using his track experience to his advantage. He didn't want to go back to his room now but he didn't want to loiter on campus either. He cried harder when he realized that he had nowhere to go. He had been here for six months and had barely made any friends. He had never felt so alone before. The March night slapped hard gust of wind at his moisten face. Lee wandered aimlessly from one corner of campus to the other, utterly heartbroken.

* * *

**TO BE CONTINUED…**

* * *

_Boyue's Note: This is the longest I have gone without updating. It can only mean that I'm not that into this story. Tragic. So I will keep this story short and quick to the point. The next update… probably won't be for a while…_

_1.30.09_

_8:32 PM_


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